Facing unit



F. CLARKE FAGING UNIT May 14, 1940.

Filed March 8, 1958 ilk-1.5

E MM Wm n n A TTURNEYS.

Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicl-z' FAorNG currl Application March 8, 1938, Serial No.' 194,562 .i

1 Claim.

The present invention relates tofacings for the surfaces of buildings and it has particular relation to facings comprising a plurality of units which are adapted to Vbe secured to a wall, oor or other building surface in abutting relationship with respect to each other, in order to provide substantially continuous protective and decorative surfaces.

' 'One object of the invention is to provide a wall surfacing unit preferably of vitreous material and of simple, conventional outline and comprising means by which it can be secured to a wallor other backing without the use of mastic or other cementing material.

A second object of the invention is to provide units of the foregoing type in which the securing means, when the units are assembled upon a wall, are completely concealed.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification and the drawing relating thereto. A conventional method of securing tiles of decorative material such as glass or ceramic substances to walls, floors or like surfaces, involves coating the surfaces to be decorated with a cementing material such as mastic or similar substance, and then pressing the units intocontact therewith' with their edges in abutting relationship with respect to each other. Such method of course requires preliminary treatment of the wall surface with the cement and in order to provide a smooth surface, also, requires considerable experience and skill upon the part of the workman employed. Furthermore, bonding of the units to the cement is not always satisfactory and loosening of the units often occurs.

In accordance with the provisions of the present invention decorative tiles of glass or ceramic substances are mounted upon a plurality of layers of backing material so disposed with respect to each other and with respect to the facing material as to provide interlocking tongues and grooves at the edges of the units. Certain of the tongues having sufficient projection with respect to the remainder of the units as to provide portions for the reception of screws or other fastening devices, and the tiles are then secured upon a wall without the use of cements and in such manner that the securing devices are completely concealed.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be had to the drawing in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a building wall showing a plurality (o1. vs -13) I of facing units constituting -the subject matter of the present invention secured thereupon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View takensubstantially upon the line II-II of Figure l and v Figure 3 is an isometric View of a single unit. In the drawing like numerals refer to like parts throughout. In the form of the invention illustrated, facing plates or tiles 5 of tempered or untempered glass, ceramic materials lor other suitable vitreous substances are formed in any conventional size and thickness. To these tiles are secured backings comprising two layers 6 and I each of the two backing layers being of substantially the same face dimensions as the plate or tile 5 and being formed of any convenient backing material. comprise ply wood, Masonite" asbestos-cement boards, squares of ordinary wood of suitable thickness and such like materials. It might also be desirable to form the backings of plates of glass,rceramic materials, etc. The layers 6 and Suitable materials for forming such layers 'I are secured to each other and to the facing malayer 5 thatprojecting lips 8 and 9 are respectively provided at the edges thereof. It will also be observed that backing layer 'I is offset with respect tothe layer 6 in the same direction as i the facing layer 5, but to a substantially greater degree, thereby providing a second projecting lip II which extends substantially beyond the lip 8. The backing layer 'I at the edge opposite the' lip Ii is overhung by the layer 5 an amount equal to the projection of the lip. Lip I I is bored and countersunk to receive the stem I2 and thehead I3 of securing screws I4 which are threaded into any suitable support I5 which may comprise an ordinary building wall or may even comprise studdings of a wall or slats, or bars which are mounted upon a wall.

Layers 5, 6, and l are shown as being oiset in a vertical direction to provide tongues and grooves or recessions along the upper and lower edges. However, offsetting may be horizontal to provide the interlocking portions along the vertical edges. The layers may also be offset in both vertical and horizontal directions to provide intei-locking portions along all four edges.

The spaces between contiguous facing units is closed, for example by means of such caulking material as mastic I6 or by means of a suitable cement of any type. Caulking in some cases may not be required. As shown in Fig. 3 the faces of a unit may be scored as indicated at I'I into a plurality of sections. The mode of assembling a facing comprising the units herein disclosed is substantially obvious. The edge portion of the composite facing preferably is built up of a row of units disposed in side to side relationship, the space between the units being filled with caulking material such as indicated at I6. Screws are then threaded into the openings in the projecting portions Il of the backing layer 1 in order to fasten the units in position. Screws may be replaced by nails if preferred. Subsequently a second row is secured in position by hooking the lip 9 between the lip 8 upon the glass or vitreous sheet 5 and the lip il of the backing layer '1. When the screw is secured in the projecting lip of this second unit the latter is firmly anchored in position upon the wall at its top and bottom edges` Subsequently additional units are mount- 'ed in similar manner in order to provide the en- 311 tire surfacing. When it is desired to dissernble the facing the units can be liberated without idamage thereto by mere retraction of the screws vin lips Il. Of course the rows should be taken down in reverse order to that in which they were assembled. Assembly may be such that the grooves between the plates 5 and backings 'l open either upwardly or downwardly. If the units are assembled without the use of caulking materials in the joints, the grooves are preferably disposed downwardly, in order to avoid the pos sibility of collection of water therein.

The units may be employed for facing or forming new walls, floors, ceilings and the like, but

' are of particular value for laying over old surfaces for redecorating the latter. The lips Il project suiciently to admit of nailingor screwing them to the wall without breaking or chipping the plates 5. These nails or screws are completely covered and protected by the backing layers 6, thus obviating any possibility of contact between them and the glass 5. Even where the glass is transparent or translucent and the backing layer 6 is employed to give a decorative effect, the securing devices are completely concealed and it is impossible to detect that the units are not set in mastic or cement in conventional manner. The edges of the units are automatically aligned by the action of the interlocking tongues and grooves so that but little skill is required in setting them.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been described it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the form illustrated is merely exemplary and that numerous modifications may be made therein without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What l claim is:

A structural building unit comprising a facing tile of vitreous material, a first backing layer cemented to the tile and having one edge overhung by the corresponding edge of the tile, the oppo` site edge of the layer projecting beyond the corresponding edge of the tile and providing a tongue, a second backing layer of fibrous material cemented upon the back of the first backing layer and having its edges oifset with respect to the corresponding edges of the first backing layer in the same direction as the corresponding edges of the tile, but to a substantially greater degree, whereby one edge is overhang by the tongue portion of the first backing layer and also by the corresponding edge of the tile and the opposite edge projects substantially beyond the overhanging edge of the tile to provide a groove to receive the tongue portion of a corresponding block and a lip along the same edge of the tile as the groove projecting beyond the overhanging portion of the tile to be accessible from the front of the tile to receive devices for fastening it to a supporting wall, the backing layers and the tile being of substantially the same face dimensions.

FRANK CLARKE. 

